Come What May
by Azzurri Raine
Summary: A series of continuous oneshots surrounding the relationship between Haruno Sakura and Sabaku no Gaara.
1. Rooftop Conversations

A/N: I have always been fond of the idea of a Sakura and Gaara pairing, but since I am still far from done with Return to Me, I know it won't really help me if I started another story. So I decided to come up with Come What May, a series of continuous one-shots that focus on one of my favorite pairings. This way, I don't have to pull my hair searching for plots and storylines (well, not much anyway).

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I never will.**

Summary: Takes place after Team Kakashi and Team Gai's mission to rescue Gaara. A late conversation between a certain pink-haired medic and the Kazekage.

* * *

She never understood the attraction of sitting on rooftops. It was too hot during the day, too cold during the night, and one would always be susceptible to bird droppings. Shikamaru did it to stare at the clouds—honestly, the boy should find another hobby—while Naruto did it to observe people from afar—she thought that was such a lonely concept, but then again, she'd never understood loneliness, not like he did.

But tonight, she found herself distinctly drawn to the rooftop of the guesthouse they had been given. Everyone was asleep, exhausted from their recent mission and she envied their ability to submit to their fatigue. Her muscles ached and everything within her screamed for rest, but she couldn't. She felt restless and not wanting to disturb the sleeping Tenten with her tossing and turning, she finally gave up and climbed out of the window, praying that Naruto and Kakashi—who shared a room next door—were tired enough to leave her be. As much as she loved their company, she didn't think she was up for it tonight.

She laid flat on the cold cement and stared up at the dark sky, brightened only by a smattering of stars and the occasional glimpse of a half moon. The nights, she reflected, were colder here and the scent that lingered in the air was vastly different than that in Konoha. Here, she could smell the sand—as strange as it sounded—and the faintest hint of spice. It wasn't a bad smell; in fact, it was oddly comforting.

"Can't sleep, kunoichi?"

She wondered why she wasn't startled. He had masked his chakra perfectly—not surprising, considering who he was—yet somehow, she had sensed his presence. She'd . . . she'd _felt_ him.

"Yes," she answered simply. She knew it didn't faze him. She'd learned from Naruto that he couldn't sleep, that he feared what the creature within him would do if he did. Now, though, he wouldn't have to worry anymore.

As if she'd spoken her thoughts out loud, he said, "I still find the notion of sleeping difficult to comprehend. It's been so long—I find that it's more of a force of habit that keeps me awake now."

She didn't say anything, unable to think of an appropriate reply.

They were both quiet for so long that for a second, she wondered if he'd left. But then she heard him move, his soft steps almost tentative as he came to sit down a few feet away from her. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye; she didn't question his presence—he was the leader of this village; he could go anywhere he pleased—but she did wonder why he was _here_, sitting next to _her_.

She frowned slightly. It was odd, but she didn't feel afraid. This was the person who had tried to kill her, who'd tried to kill her friends and attack her village almost three years ago—she had every right to fear him, but she didn't. His red hair glistened underneath the pale moonlight and she recalled how soft the strands had felt underneath her fingers when she healed his wounds earlier. Such soft, silky hair—so unfitting for a person who seemed so _cold_.

"She was a great healer," he remarked in that quiet voice of his.

"Yes." She didn't need to ask who "she" meant. "She was amazing during our fight with the Akatsuki member."

He nodded, and then after a pause, asked, "Do you regret what she did?"

A delicate, pink eyebrow rose. "Nani?"

"Exchanging her life for mine," he clarified. "Do you wish she hadn't? Do you wish she had just left me to die?"

"Why would I wish that?"

"I tried to kill you," he reminded her bluntly. "I tried to kill your teammates. Wouldn't you have been happier if I'd died?"

"Revenge is such an ugly thing," she said softly, her eyes glistening as the image of a dearly-missed black-haired boy flitted through her mind. "I wouldn't want to live my life for the sake of avenging those who've hurt me and mine."

He knew who she spoke of and couldn't help but sound cynical as he asked, "Do you think he'll come back?"

She smiled sadly. "I hope so. Not a day has gone by that I don't hope so."

He glanced at her briefly before returning his gaze to the expansive desert before him. "You're a strange one, kunoichi. You say you don't want to live your life for the sake of revenge, but you're fine with living your life for the sake of a hope? Is that not more idiotic?"

She didn't take offense to his words. She recognized the genuine confusion in them, the subtle desire to understand. She knew his past—not fully, but understood it enough to ache for him. He'd never known compassion, had never felt the happiness of having friends.

"Hope is different from revenge. Hope gives you the strength to live on, to strive to achieve for peace," she explained. "Revenge—revenge is lonely, but hope . . . hope is warm. It may seem stupid to you, even a weakness, but I pray I'll never lose hope, because if I do . . . if I do . . ."

"If you do?" he prompted.

"Then I'll be cold," she answered. "I don't ever want to be cold."

"I don't want to be cold, too," he said, the words barely audible. She wondered if he realized he'd spoken them aloud, but she didn't comment on them, not wanting to expose his vulnerability.

"Let me ask you something," she said suddenly, breaking the silence that had once again fallen between them. "Do _you_ regret what Chiyo-baa-sama did for you? Do _you_ wish she had not exchanged her life for yours?"

"I . . . I believe the world would've been better off without me."

At his answer, she abruptly sprang to her feet and scowled at him. "Then you deserve to die!" she spat angrily. "If you believe that, then you deserve to be buried six feet underground!"

His eyes widened, then narrowed. "Do you forget who you're speaking to, kunoichi?" he said icily.

"I don't care!" she hissed. "Chiyo-baa-sama gave up her life because _she_ believed that you were worth it, that you were worth so much _more_ than her life. She gave up her life for you selflessly, regardless of the people she would never be able to see again. She gave her up life for you because she felt that you deserved the happiness you never had. So instead of wallowing in self pity, live for her, for the _hope_ she had for you. Don't let her sacrifice be in vain. Take the chance you've been given and live your life with pride and dignity!"

She stopped her tirade to catch her breath and stared at him, the blood slowly flowing from her face. Around her ankles, she felt the soft, scratchy touch of sand and her heart beat a little faster. _Great going, stupid_, her inner voice chided, _now you're going to find out first-hand why he calls it _Sabaku Kyou.

Oh, shit. She licked lips suddenly gone dry. "I . . .I apologize," she said stiffly. "I spoke out of turn."

"Yes, you did," he agreed in a wry tone that, if she didn't know any better, bordered on sarcastic amusement.

Her fists clenched. "But I meant every word," she persisted stubbornly, ignoring the voice of caution screaming in her head. "Despite what you think, you're not alone. Not anymore."

He stared at her for a long time, his pale green gaze intensely penetrating. She felt as if a year had gone by before she finally felt the sand around her feet recede, disappearing as if it was never there and she slowly released the breath she had not realized she'd been holding.

"Maybe you're right and maybe you're not, kunoichi," he said. "Only time will tell."

She nodded, for lack of a better reply. "What Chiyo-baa-sama did . . . I only hope that if the time ever comes, I would be strong enough to do the same."

He cocked his head to the side and studied her closely. "You're talking about Naruto, aren't you?"

"Yes." Her fingers gripped the material of her shirt. "I won't—I _can't_—lose another person close to me. I'll do _anything_ to make sure nothing happens to him."

"And he? Doesn't he have a say in this? Do you think _he_ wants you to sacrifice yourself for him?"

"He's done it so many times for me. Now it's my turn."

"So that's it? That's why you're so willing to die for him? So you can one-up him?"

"No, damn it!" she snapped, anger bubbling within her again. "Don't you get it? Naruto's . . . Naruto's my . . ."

"Your what, kunoichi?"

"My precious person," she answered softly, her eyes, a shade brighter than his, misted. "He's my _friend_. Perhaps I haven't always thought so, but I do now. He's been hurt so much . . . I don't ever want him to go through it again. I couldn't save him when we were younger—I was even one of those who condemned him—but I can save him now. The things that they—that _we_—did to him, I have never felt sorrier. So, yes, I will do everything that I can, not only because Naruto is worth it, but also because I don't want to live the rest of my life with regret."

The look he gave her was long and hard and she could read the honest confusion in his eyes as he tried to comprehend her words. How did it feel, to question every action, to wonder if there were hidden motives behind each spoken word? How had it felt for him growing up, friendless and feared by those who should have protected him, loved him, unconditionally? She couldn't imagine such a life, couldn't imagine how she would have survived.

_He survived by killing the people who were stupid enough to challenge him_, her inner self reminded her in a dry voice.

_Be quiet. He's not like that. Not anymore. He's . . . he's more mellow now_.

_Oh, yeah, right. That's why you still have some sand stuck between your toes_.

_Be quiet._

He moved, a small, faint action that almost made her take a step back, but she forced herself to stand her ground. The grunt that escaped his throat told her he was aware of her thoughts and was oddly amused by it.

"Go to bed, kunoichi. You're leaving in the morning so you'll need the energy," he told her.

She nodded again, whispered good-night and left him sitting alone on the rooftop, staring out into the vast desert that was his to rule.

* * *

The next morning, Gaara stood between his brother and sister as he held out his hand to the boy who had been responsible for showing him that fighting for the sake of a another person was so much better than fighting for oneself. The blonde shinobi stared at him for a moment, his blue eyes showing his surprise and then the patented idiotic grin crossed his whisker-marked face as he too extended his hand. 

"You're all right, Gaara," Naruto said.

It was an odd remark but the Kazekage pushed aside his curiosity as his fingers tightened briefly around the other boy's. "Thank you, Naruto," he said awkwardly; he still had difficulties professing his thanks. Hell, he still had difficulties professing a lot of things.

His eyes strayed momentarily from the huge smile on the blonde-haired ninja's face to gaze upon the pink-haired figure that stood a few steps behind. She wore a small, gentle smile on her pretty face and her green eyes were warm as they rested on the linked hands of Naruto and the Kazekage.

"_I don't want to live the rest of my life with regret."_

Her words lingered in his head. It was puzzling, how they had affected him, how they had disturbed him during his meditation throughout the entire night.

He released Naruto's hand and took a step back. He surveyed the rest of the group and gave them an appreciative nod. "Be careful on the way back," he said.

"Of course! The power of the youth will protect us!"

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was astonishing that the green-clad boy could still be so exuberant even after the near-fatality of his shinobi career a few years ago. Recalling that _he _had been responsible for that, Gaara inwardly grimaced.

"Kunoichi." He didn't know what compelled him, but the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. "The next time we speak I _hope_ it will be under better conditions."

The others slanted the two of them looks of confusion, but a larger smile slowly spread across her face as she met his pale green gaze. She hadn't missed his emphasis on the word "hope" and she understood the meaning behind his statement, even if the others didn't.

"Hai, I hope so too," she replied cheerfully. "And Kazekage-sama?"

"Yes?"

"My name is Haruno Sakura, _not_ kunoichi," she told him boldly.

He stared at her for a long time and then slowly blinked. The others held their breath and exhaled sighs of relief when an amused glint appeared in the Kazekage's eyes.

"Such impudence," he muttered and then in a much louder voice, declared, "Good luck then, _Haruno Sakura_."

She nodded and moments later, Gaara watched as she, along with the rest of her team, disappeared from his sight. The odd, tingling feeling he had felt when she'd smiled at him lingered within him and he wondered at it. Never had a female stood up to him as she had last night, her face flushed and her eyes blazing as she basically told him to suck it up.

_"Take the chance you've been given and live your life with pride and dignity!"_

It would be a while before Haruno Sakura and Sabaku no Gaara meet again.

* * *

Review (please and thank you)! 


	2. Welcome to the Desert

Author's Note: Real life has been really time consuming, so much so that I haven't been able to even think about plots. But I hope that I'll be able to update this story, as well as others. So please be patient with me.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto **

Summary: Suna has requested for a medical team from Konoha to help with a recent outbreak. The team is headed by one of the best medics in the ninja world, Haruno Sakura. A kunoichi the young Kazekage has never been able to fully put out of his mind.

* * *

The next time Gaara saw Haruno Sakura again was three years later. On a brisk Suna afternoon, he stood between his siblings and watched as the medical team from Konoha make their way toward him. He barely glanced at the others; it was the kunoichi who stood at the lead of the pack that held his attention.

Her pink hair, drawn in a twist behind her head, still made her stand out like a beacon. His sharp eyes noted that she now walked with more confidence than she had years ago; there was a grace to her gait that age and honed skills had managed to add. The awkwardness of an adolescent was now gone, replaced by the poise of a woman—a ninja—who was assured of her position in the world.

But there was also a certain weariness in the way she carried herself, as if she had too much weight on her shoulders. As she drew closer, he looked into a pair of eyes he had remembered to be as bright as the green trees of her beloved village. The color was a bit faded now, dulled by disillusionment and a world-weariness that only those who had gone through great pain had. Staring at her, Gaara recalled the rumors he heard about Uchiha Sasuke, of how he'd tried to kill the former members of his team and was even now labeled a missing-nin. Gaara understood revenge; he knew how it felt to be so consumed by darkness that it didn't matter who was hurt in the process of gaining satisfaction. Like the Uchiha, Gaara hadn't cared about anyone but himself as he attempted to ease his own self-suffering.

But unlike the Uchiha prodigy, Gaara hadn't had anyone who cared enough to help him.

Sakura and her team drew to a halt in front of the Sand siblings and their small entourage. While Sakura smiled in greeting, the other members tried vainly to mask the uneasiness they felt in the presence of the Kazekage. They had of course heard of him; his great skills and even greater temper were legendary. His short death all those years ago hadn't diminish either one.

"Good afternoon, Kazekage-sama," Sakura said with a polite bow, her team following suit. "It's been a while."

Gaara nodded in return. "Haruno-san," he returned. "Suna is grateful for your help. I trust you didn't have any problems on your journey here?"

Sakura smiled, privately amused by his formal tone. "Of course not, Kazekage-sama," she answered, mimicking him. She didn't miss the way he narrowed his eyes, but chose to ignore it. She glanced at his sister. "Hello, Temari," she said warmly. "How are you? I haven't seen you since the last time you came to Konoha."

"As you can see, I'm as gorgeous as ever," the other kunoichi replied cheekily. The two young women had long ago put their differences aside and were good friends. Temari, who was mostly surrounded by men when in Suna, always eagerly welcomed Sakura's company when she came to Konoha for diplomatic purposes. "It's good to see you. I was happy when I heard that you were going to head this team."

From the other side of Gaara, his older brother let out a long, low whistle. "Lookin' good there, Sakura," Kankurou drawled. "Makes me wish I was sick so you'd be my own personal nurse."

Sakura snorted softly. "I'm a doctor, Kankurou. I wear baggy robes and carry a needle—a very _large_ needle," she added with a wink, earning a chuckle from the puppet master.

"Honey," the older shinobi returned, "I'll let you stick anything in me anytime."

Instead of being offended, Sakura laughed. "You're as outrageous as ever, Kankurou."

He wiggled his eyebrows. "Wanna see exactly _how_ outrageous, babe?"

Temari cleared her throat, interrupting the playful byplay. She glanced at her youngest brother, whose jade green eyes were narrowed—dangerously so—and wondered if Kankurou—the idiotic ape—had a death wish. Obviously he hadn't noticed that their esteemed leader wasn't amused by his flirting with the leaf medic-nin.

"Sakura," she said, drawing the other kunoichi's attention away from her moronic brother. "You and your team must be pretty tired after your journey. Come on, I'll show you to your quarters and we can catch up on news from Konoha along the way."

"Thanks, Temari," Sakura replied with a grateful smile, noticing the relief on her team's faces. She glanced at Gaara. "With your permission, of course, Kazekage-sama."

He inclined his head. "I'll send for you later to brief you on Suna's medical situation. Again, we are thankful to Konoha—and you—for your aid."

Sakura bowed, then allowed Temari to guide her and her team to their temporary residence, the older kunoichi's arm tucked companionably in hers. Temari asked about the on-goings of Konoha, but Sakura read the hidden message behind the question and offered some news about a certain lazy strategist amidst other stories about her village.

Gaara watched as his sister and the Konoha medical team head toward the guests' quarters. He glanced sideways at his brother, who didn't hide the fact that he was looking at the pink-haired doctor, an interested gleam in his eye.

"I didn't know you were so familiar with Haruno Sakura," he remarked stiffly, wondering if his brother had done more than diplomatic duties during his visits to Fire Country.

Kankurou shrugged, a grin on his face. "She's a great-looking girl—and pretty damn smart too. A guy would be stupid—or a eunuch—not to at least _try_."

Though his face remained impassive, there was no denying the glacial expression in Gaara's eyes—or the iciness of his tone as he spoke. "She is here on official business. I will not have her distracted by your flirting."

For the first time, Kankurou noticed the dangerous aura surrounding his brother. Inwardly, he smiled. If this had been five years ago, he would immediately submit to the Kazekage's words. But as it was, it wasn't five years ago and sometimes, his baby brother needed to get that stick out of his ass.

"She _is_ here on official business," the puppet master agreed, "but she'll have some free time too, won't she? Maybe I should show her around, take her out for dinner. I'm sure she won't say no."

If Kankurou hadn't been watching so closely, he would have missed the spark in his brother's eye.

"It would be in your interest," Gaara began coolly, "to stay clear of her."

"Oh?" Kankurou lifted an eyebrow. "Why? It's not like she's taken or anything." A smile started to slowly form on his bare face. "Or could it be that _you_ have the hots for her? Ha! I'd never thought I'd see the day, but then again I can't say I blame you. She does have a nice pair of—"

The puppet master instantly fell silent when he felt sand graze his ankles. Eyes widening slightly, he looked up at his brother whose face wore its customary look of indifference, but there was no denying the warning air around him.

"You will refrain yourself from commenting on Haruno-san's body parts," Gaara ordered firmly. "And Kankurou? I saw her first."

And with that, the young village leader disappeared in a whirl of sand, leaving his older brother standing alone, mouth agaped. Kankurou could barely believe it. Gaara had practically claimed the pretty Leaf nin as his. The puppet master started to laugh. So, he thought, his baby brother had hormones after all!

* * *

Tell what you think. Please and thank you :)


End file.
